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- Canada releases top-tier inflation and retail sales figures on Friday.
- The data is critical for the BOC’s October rate decision.
- The USD/CAD is balanced into the data.
Canada publishes its inflation report for August and the Retail Sales publication for July on Friday, September 21st, at 12:30 GMT. There are no significant US publications at the same time, allowing the USD/CADto move solely on the Canadian figures. On the other hand, Canada’s reports can go in opposite directions, offsetting each other.
Inflation picked up in Canada back in July, with the headline Consumer Price Index rising from 2.5% to 3% year over year. Core CPI, which excludes volatile prices and is watched more closely by the Bank of Canada, rose from 1.3% to 1.6%.
The report for August is forecast to show more modest inflation. Headline CPI is projected to tick down to 2.9%. More importantly, Core CPI carries expectations for backtracking down to 1.4% YoY.
If both Core CPI YoY and CPI YoY meet expectations, the monthly changes will come into focus. Headline prices are predicted to slide by 0.1% after jumping by 0.5% last month. Core CPI rose by 0.2% MoM in July, and a similar figure is likely now.
BOC set to hike in October
The Bank of Canada convened in September and left the interest rate unchanged at 1.50% as broadly expected. The interest rate event did not consist of a press conference by Governor Stephen Poloz.
However, Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Wilkins said that the BOC deliberated whether to accelerate the pace of rate hikes. The Ottawa-based institution considered removing the word “gradual” from the description of future rate increases. Her hawkish comments not only sent the Canadian Dollar higher but also raised expectations for a rate hike.
The inflation data is not expected to shine, but the bar is low for a rate hike as we learned from Wilkins. It would take a big disappointment such as a drop of Core CPI YoY closer to 1% to cause the BOC to doubt its moves.
Retail Sales can steal the show
As the rate hike has high chances barring a considerable slowdown in prices, retail sales could steal the show. Contrary to the US, consumption data is published late: six weeks after the month had ended. Nevertheless, like in the US, consumption is critical to the economy.
Sales badly disappointed win June with a drop of 0.2%. They are now expected to pick up and bounce back with an increase of 0.4%, more than compensating for the decline. The same goes for Core Retail Sales, which exclude cars. After slipping by 0.1% in June, an increase of 0.6% is projected now.
A beat of expectations could boost the loonie, and that is possible given the volatility of this economic gauge. A minor increase or a second consecutive month of drops could deal a blow to CAD.
USD/CAD positioning with the NAFTA elephant
Negotiations between Canada and the US have slowed down. The US and Mexico struck a deal, and Canada was expected to join it swiftly. However, Trump initially instructed his negotiators not to compromise on anything. After several missed deadlines the frenzy ended, and talks are now moving slowly. Assuming no breaking headlines around the publication of the data, we are unlikely to see any impact from NAFTA on the USD/CAD.
Other factors are mixed. Oil prices are on the rise thanks to a change in the supply/demand balance in the world. On the other hand, the new US tariffs on China are due on September 24th, and this weighs on the C$, a risk currency.
All in all, the USD/CAD is balanced into the data.
Canada’s Retail Sales will likely dominate despite being a lagging indicator and one that is not directly related to the BOC’s rate decision. Inflation has become somewhat less important for as the BOC is keen on hiking rates in October. The absence of US releases at the same time leaves the stage for the Canadian data. NAFTA talks are currently on the backburner but should not be forgotten.
More: USD/CAD Technical Analysis: Weakening near 1.3000 figure – Bears can send USD/CAD down to 1.2885 swing low


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More than a third of consumers (33.4%) declared e-cigarettes the worst tech gadget followed by drones (20.6%) in a poll conducted for gadget insurer Protect Your Bubble.
One in three (36.8%) of respondents voted email spam the worst tech invention of the past five decades.
More than a third (36.9%) of the 1,001 people surveyed chose the internet as the best tech invention of the last five decades, narrowly beating the smartphone.
Nearly a third (29%) of respondents voted the Apple iPhone as their top tech gadget of the past 50 years, followed by another Apple gadget, the iPad (22.2%).
Other tech gadgets that made the list of best gadgets include Tom Tom sat-navs, smartspeaker Amazon Alexa and the Sony PlayStation. Tech inventions in the top ten include wi-fi, email and the mobile phone.

domain: news


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Ari Garsh, the young man who regularly collects donations for local animal shelters, will be at Lowes Foods (on the corner of Pine Grove Drive and Greenville Loop Road) until Christmas Eve. Visitors can drop off cat, kitten, dog and puppy food for local rescues and shelters. These organizations and facilities depend on donations in their on-going efforts to help homeless pets.
A StarNewsOnline Blog
Spreading the message of rescue and compassion for animals
Ari Garsh, the local high school student who regularly collects pet food donations for local rescue organizations, will be using his holiday vacation time to help more. Garsh will be collecting donations at Lowes Foods (corner of Greenville Loop and Pine Grove Drive) every day until Christmas Eve. His mission is to help these local groups, so that they can continue to pull homeless pets from local municipal shelters. The effort saves lives and opens space for other homeless pets.… Read More »
Local homeless pet advocate and high school student Ari Garsh frequently uses his free time to promote donations of food and supplies for area shelters. One site he uses to bring in donations is the Lowes Foods store on the corner of Pine Grove Drive and Greenville Loop Road. So when store manager Alan Knotts recently attended his retirement party, Ari showed up to present him with a plaque, as a way to thank Knotts for allowing him to collect… Read More »
Ari Garsh and friends were out collecting pet food donations on Saturday, at two Wilmington Lowes Foods locations. With the assistance of volunteers from Boy Scouts Pack 219, the group collected two truck loads of food for local homeless animals.
Ari Garsh (CQ), a young local animal advocate and a group of Boy Scouts will be collecting dog and cat food on Saturday (Oct.13) at the Lowes Foods (CQ) stores located at 805 Pine Grove Drive and at the University Landing shopping center on College Road. (CQ) The food will be taken to area animal shelters. Shoppers can also donate blankets and towels.
Ari Garsh, a young local animal lover who regularly collects donations for local animal rescue organizations, will be back at his mission Wednesday. On the day before Thanksgiving, Ari will be collecting pet food at the Lowes Foods store on the corner of Pine Grove Drive and Greenville Loop Road. I’m told he could be at the main entrance by around 10 a.m.


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NEW YORK, March 3 (UPI) -- A U.S. fertility doctor says that he will soon be able to allow parents to choose their babies' eye and hair color.
Dr. Jeff Steinberg, whose Fertility Institute has clinics in New York and Los Angeles, says research that has already made it possible to select a baby's gender has also yielded the technology to enable parents to make eye and hair color choices, the New York Daily News reported Tuesday.
"In the process of doing gender selection … we've also uncovered the technology (to) characterize things like eye and hair color," Steinberg, 54, told the newspaper.


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Of the world's top 20 freight forwarders secretly assessed by the online marketplace, CH Robinson, Kuehne + Nagel, DHL and DB Schenker stood out for best user experience and ease of use.
The report found a 'dramatic improvement' in how top forwarders help customers procure freight online, with 11 of the 20 forwarders now providing dedicated 'request for quotation', or RFQ forms, three of which instantly generated quotes. In contrast, in 2015 only three forwarders provided 'request for quotation' forms.
'By promptly responding to all quote requests, instant quoting forwarders are much more likely to win the sale than their manual quoting counterparts,' said the report.
But the survey also found that leading container lines are now an online threat to forwarders by finally taking digital connectivity seriously.
'All five had RFQ forms - compared to only three of the top five forwarders - that were straightforward to use,' said the report. 'Hapag-Lloyd quoted instantly and Maersk quoted in less than an hour. MSC responded within 68 hours, but could only quote port to port. CMA CGM didn't respond to the mystery shopper quote request, but it does instant quote for approved customers.'
Overall, carrier response time was much quicker than the freight forwarders, reported American Shipper.
Digital forwarders are expanding. In the 2018 survey only two digital forwarders could quote for China-US door-to-door. In this survey the number doubled to four - half of the eight surveyed digital forwarders - although two only supported the common addressable market of Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA).
'As with the last survey, digital forwarders were more customer-focused [than the top 20 traditional forwarders] and scored much better for automation,' said the report.
Freightos annual survey assesses online sales capabilities of the 20 largest forwarders. It is conducted in secret with a 'mystery shopper' posing as a rapidly expanding US-based e-commerce importer requesting quotes for a door-to-door shipment from a major Chinese city to a major US city via a website form or, failing that, by email.
'Requests for FCL, air and less than container load (LCL) quotes were spaced over the course of one month,' said Freightos.
Freightos marketing chief Eytan Buchman told New York's FreightWaves he was confident freight forwarders would continue to progress their digital procurement offerings.
'We're definitely past the tipping point of an imperative for digital freight sales and service; with half of all forwarders selling online, as well as the new tech drive from carriers and forwarders alike, things are certainly changing,' he said.


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Our first tenet is to give back and empower people instead of taking advantage of someone’s hardship during this time.
Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) April 19, 2011
Earth Day 2011 is the first birthday of Scottsdale-based Humble Seed, but instead of accepting gifts, the little online seed company that could is giving away tens of thousands of edible-plant seeds to good causes, as well as pruning prices April 22-May 22 to celebrate the beanstalk growth of its Facebook community.
Why? Because first-time entrepreneurs Jim and Kristen Mitchell are among that rare breed of business folk motivated by passion. The owners of Humble Seed fervently believe in the importance of growing your own food, which is why they’ve partnered with Tempe (Ariz.) Community Action Agency’s new garden project at Escalante Park. Plans for the Escalante Community Garden include producing high-quality fruits and vegetables, and teaching the community about sustainable gardening and healthy cooking. A portion of the produce grown will be donated to TCAA’s Food Pantry and “Cooking on a Budget” classes, and participants who work two hours a week in the garden also receive a produce share.
Giving back is nothing new for Humble Seed. Humble Seed has contributed to such causes as The Dinner Garden, a Texas-based national non-profit organization that provides seeds, gardening supplies, and gardening advice free of charge to all people in the United States of America. They assist those in need in establishing food security for their families. Their goal is for people to plant home, neighborhood, and container gardens so they can use the vegetables they grow for food and income.
“Our first tenet is to give back and empower people instead of taking advantage of someone’s hardship during this time,” Kristen says. “We want to help feed needy people. Last year we donated almost as much product as we sold. We’re not just saying it; we’re walking it.”
If Facebook’s “Like” button is any indication, the sincere tone of the Mitchells’ message strikes a chord with the public. Since August of last year, the number of Humble Seed fans has exploded from 700 to over 8,000. “We’re building this huge online gardening community who talk about growing their own food, healthy living and buying locally,” says Kristen. “We hope that consumers respond to our giveback philosophy by supporting our products.”
Since day one, Humble Seed’s mission has been to entice gardening newbie’s as well as seasoned growers by offering non-GMO and non-hybrid seeds cradled in amazing re-sealable Mylar packs bundled together in eye-catching packaging. The coming full month of 20 percent savings on humbleseed.com purchases, starting on Earth Day, April 22, is to both thank and further germinate the company’s “grounded” Facebook community.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, the company has expanded its line of green gifts to include a spicy Mother Nature offering: “Hot Mama's Peppers and Chiles Gift Basket,” featuring 10 varieties of chile and pepper seeds, garden tools, gloves, mister and Annie’s Goat Hill soap and hand lotion ($79.95 includes shipping, before Earth Day discount).
Humble Seed specializes in premium garden seed kits that are packaged and themed for convenience and ease. In 2011, Humble Seed plans to add wholesale accounts in several key markets.
Humble Seed is dedicated to providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties to conscientious gardeners who choose to start from seed. Hobbyists, nursing homes, survival gardeners, schools and restaurants can buy the kits at http://www.humbleseed.com. The website also features gardening accessories and books, recipes and seed-growing tips. Except for The Producer (bulk-seed kit $129.95), kits costs between $21.95 and $29.95. Enter EDBD2011 at checkout to receive the 20% anniversary discount.
Information and interviews: 877-956-7333; info(at)humbleseed(dot)com; http://www.humbleseed.com; Facebook Humble Seed; Twitter @seedthatfeeds.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Parents’ to-do lists before traveling with toddlers this holiday season may include packing an emergency stock of snacks, activities and wardrobe changes.
But what some may not plan for ahead of vacation: accidental poisoning risks, gun safety and Uber rides.
A new report from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll suggests that some parents may overlook safety risks to kids during travel, including car seat use during taxi or share rides and preventing easy access to medications, cleaning supplies and even weapons at a place they’re staying.
Each year, millions of families with toddlers travel during the holiday season, leaving behind daily routines and a child-proofed home environment. The nationally representative poll asked parents with at least one child ages 2 to 5 about recent travel habits.
“Parents are typically vigilant about safety measures, making sure toddlers are always in car seats and that medications and cleaning supplies are locked up or out of reach. But they may be less fastidious while on vacation, leaving medications in open suitcases or on hotel tables or not childproofing a relative’s house,” says poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.
“It’s important that parents are just as attentive to child safety risks on trips as they would be at home.”
Among the most troubling findings: 15 percent of parents said they did not put their toddler in a car seat for every car ride on a recent trip, with the majority of cases involving taxi or share ride services such as Uber or Lyft.
“Car crashes are a leading cause of injury and death among toddlers, which is why it’s critical that parents plan ahead to make sure their child is properly restrained during every car ride on vacation,” Clark says. “Planning for car seats can be inconvenient in certain destinations, but going without is never worth the risk.”
Meanwhile, three quarters of parents remembered to safely store medications when traveling with their toddler, and two-thirds of parents checked to make sure cleaning supplies, guns and other weapons were out of their child’s reach. Two thirds also checked the hot water temperature wherever they were staying. Forty percent of parents reported taking all of these safety precautions — while 3 percent did none.
“Traveling with a toddler can be a daunting task,” Clark says. “Many parents spend quite a bit of time planning ahead to avoid meltdowns by scheduling days around naps and packing items that will keep their kids entertained. It’s just as important that parents plan for measures to keep kids safe on the road.”
Traveling safely with toddlers
Clark offers these safety tips:


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The first day for the E3 2016 conference has been exciting. One of the most interesting updates from EA this year was about FIFA 17.
The bestselling soccer video game franchise is set to have a unique story mode in the next release.
Unlike the other FIFA series, the new FIFA 17 will offer the option for players to control their characters on and off the pitch. This will enable the users to facilitate the character's career in the game.
Though this feature looks promising, this simulation is a little bit risky. According to BBC, this similar mode has already been implemented in rival 2K Games' NBA 2K16 version. Upon the implementation of the story mode, most gaming critics have spread out the word about the negative impact of the feature.
In The Verge's review of NBA 2K16 review, they noted that this "ruined" NBA 2K16's game mode.
"At its best, it captures the essential silliness of achieving individual, virtual greatness and marries that silliness to a potent, finely tuned power fantasy. When all of your work and skill development culminates in a windmill yammed on some unsuspecting center's head — or a trip to the Hall of Fame — there are few things more rewarding. I love this goofy part of an otherwise serious game, and that's why it hurts me to tell you that 2K and Spike Lee have come together to ruin its newest version."
It is still unsure where EA would take the story mode for FIFA 17, however, they might be wary of the mistakes their competitors made last year.
So far, FIFA 16 has bagged the bestselling video game on both PlayStation and Xbox platforms last year. EA posted a $1.16 billion profit last year and this comprised mostly of FIFA 16 sales.
EA also reported a 32 percent rise in sales during 2016 and this has been an impressive number considering that their platform is being challenged by other game creators like BioWare and Steam.
The trailer released during the event showed Alex's family back story. The trailer also showed how he was first approached by an agent.


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Global smartphone shipments to mobile business customers are forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15 per cent.
The mobile business customer smartphone installed base will exceed 30 per cent worldwide; in North America, it will exceed 65 per cent.
But behind these numbers will be a hyper-competitive marketplace defined by the operating system.
ABI Research predicts that in North America BlackBerry will maintain its leadership position but Apple and Android will gain a solid presence. If Verizon launches the iPhone, iOS market share will grow even more.
In Western Europe Android’s share will grow the most as Windows Phone share slips.
The installed base share in Latin America will shift from a customer base using mainly Windows to one shared nearly equally by Windows, Symbian and BlackBerry.
In Asia Pacific Symbian’s market share will drop significantly but Symbian will still maintain its lead; Android will reach the number two position.
According to ABI Research enterprise practice director Dan Shey, “With the iPhone and now Android, business customers simply have more choices.
“While each region will have a different set of competitive dynamics, within a few years regional installed base market shares of 50 percent+ will be a thing of the past.
“Security, applications, and device management capabilities will be key determinants of success for each platform – but not necessarily in that order.”


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BENGALURU: Two foreign nationals were arrested on charges of stealing details of ATM cards at Kempegowda International Airport.CID said that they arrested Dan Sabin Christian (40) of Romania and Mare Janos (44) of Hungary at around 10.30 pm on September 12. The duo had allegedly installed skimmers – devices that read data on an ATM card – on eight occasions at five different cash dispensers in the city.
CID officials said they were acting on a complaint filed by officials of Kotak Mahindra Bank, which eventually led to the arrests. Police gathered inputs about another skimming device installed at a Kotak Mahindra ATM at the airport. A team inspected the place and established the presence of a skimmer and a miniature camera installed inside the cubicle. From noon onwards on Tuesday, the team kept vigil at the said cash dispenser. Around 10 pm, the two suspects arrived at the ATM. CID said that the accused grew suspicious and booked a cab to leave, without retrieving the skimming devices. However, they were caught by the police before they could get away.
During questioning, it was revealed that the two accused were part of an organised crime gang based out of UK. They used to collect information, including PIN codes of ATM cards and store it in memory cards. They then shared it with gang members.They are said to have arrived in India on September 1. Cristian and Janos were scheduled to fly to the UK on September 19. CID recovered skimming devices, a laptop, a hard disk, memory cards and card readers from them. The duo would spraypaint the skimming devices before installing them to match them with the colour of the ATM kiosk. The installation was done in the mornings, and required only a few minutes.
“The travel documents of the accused showed that they had travelled to USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Philippines, Jamaica, France, Argentina, Uruguay etc. They had been barred from USA and Jamaica. We will share details with other nations, and try to get more information through Interpol,” CID Director General (DG) Kishore Chandra said. They have been remanded to custody till Sept 22, he said. Last year, a Romanian duo involved in ATM data theft in Kerala and another Romanian national in Chennai were arrested in two incidents.
Cover keypad while typing PIN: Top cop
CID Director General (DG) Kishore Chandra requested all those who had swiped their cards at the five cash dispensers in question, to change their PINs and notify their banks. Chandra also suggested that citizens cover the ATM’s keypad while typing the PIN code, which would help hide the PIN in case of a hidden camera.
HOW DUO STOLE DATA
The duo would first spray-paint the card-skimming device and a pin hole camera with the same colour as the ATM kiosk.
They would then attach the camera above the ATM’s keypad and the skimming device behind the spot where the card is inserted.
After user swiped his card, they would remove the camera and the device and get the PIN codes, card numbers and the CCV codes of the cards.
They would then send all the data to their associate in the UK


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LGC lawyers last night issued a ‘cease & desist’ letter to the Blackpool-based firm demanding it stop all retail activity relating to the products in question, something TPL director James Wilson told us had already begun after the firm came under fire on Twitter on Thursday.
Wilson said the use of the Informed-Sport logo – a scheme to which about 440 global sports nutrition brands submit for regular batch testing to affirm products are free of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited substances – was an “innocent mistake”.
The 4-year-old firm was under the impression it could use the logo because its contract manufacturer, Lincolnshire-based Park Acre, had an Informed-Sport site registration.
“We thought we were ok with that but obviously this was wrong and we are now sorting that out,” Wilson said. “We have copped a battering on Twitter and people assume we are buying dodgy powders from dodgy sources but we are a reputable company. Resources would be better used shutting down those companies than a case like this. This is an innocent mistake.”
‘Not wholly trustworthy’
This line of argument did not wash with Informed-LGC director of business development Terence O’Rorke who told us TPL had committed "the greatest abuse" of the Informed-Sport scheme since it began almost a decade ago and the firm “was just making an excuse.”
“And they don’t have an excuse – this is an obvious abuse of our logo and we take it very seriously. They are not wholly trustworthy. TPL was in contact with us a couple of years ago enquiring about registration so they know about what is going on. We are a phone call away. This is a warning to all brands.”
Wilson said his firm wanted to work with LGC on the matter but didn’t commit to pursuing an Informed-Sport registration.
It was considering joining the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA), the trade group that would not comment on the case as TPL is not a member.
Wilson said TPL had been using the logo for 10 months but would not specify how many product lines or how many SKUs had been affected. “Where possible the logo will be removed or if this is not possible the product will be destroyed,” he said of the recall.
There are about 30 international contract manufacturers registered with Informed-Sport’s site registration certification which involves LGC analysts swabbing a facility about twice a year for WADA-listed prohibited substances but does not test individual product batches.
The programme offers peace-of-mind to athletes interested in clean sport and lends QC (quality control) gravitas to sport supplement brands.
An Informed-Sport supplement has never been implicated in an adverse analytical finding (AAF), otherwise known as a doping infringement.
O'Rorke said the Informed-Sport logo had been used without authorisation on single products in the past, but never with an entire range as had been the case with TPL.


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Back in 1992, Guy Bower was a recent transplant to Wichita.
An Air Force pilot, Bower had moved here from Miami to take a job flying F-16s with the Kansas Air Guard. He brought with him a passion for wine that he’d developed growing up with restaurant-owner parents and traveling to countries such as Spain when he’d been on active duty.
But Wichita did not have much of a wine scene back then. Nor did it have much of a reputation as a place that had any hope of developing a wine scene.
“I called the national American Institute of Wine and Food in California and told them, ‘I’m in Wichita now, and I want to start a chapter,’ ” Bower said. “They laughed. To them, Kansas was a flyover state that was conservative and not that far removed from clubs and no alcohol and the fond memories of that gal with an ax tearing up bars during Prohibition.”
But they let Bower start the chapter, and he sold out his first event, a “Chardonnay Shootout” at the former Olive Tree in April 1992. Membership grew and grew. Soon, Wichita’s AIWF was the fastest-growing chapter in the history of the organization.
As it turned out, Wichita was just waiting for its wine scene.
Twenty years later, Bower is no longer in charge of AIWF. His wife, Beth, is now a chapter co-chairwoman.
But he’s still active in the organization, which pioneered a culture that today has resulted in a city full of wine experts, wine enthusiasts and weekly wine tastings at restaurants from east to west. (It’s also the organization that started the popular Midwest Winefest and Midwest Beerfest, annually anticipated events at Century II.)
The Wichita chapter of AIWF, whose active members and leaders through the years have included names such as H. Wayne Foster, Tony DiStefano, Elizabeth Sauer, Scott Hampel and Jay Cooper, is celebrating its 20th birthday this month with a gala that will feature samplings of wines plus appetizers and a live auction.
It’s the kind of event Wichita’s AIWF chapter is known for. The organization puts on monthly wine events that are fun but focused more on wine appreciation and education.
The chapter’s efforts also have resulted in culinary scholarships for several well-known Wichita chefs, including the Wichita Country Club’s Damian Lehman and the Wichita Marriott’s Peter Moretti.
Moretti, who used his scholarship money to take a seminar on wines at his alma mater, New York’s Culinary Institute of America, often helps the organization put on wine and beer dinners.
The organization has been key in enhancing and promoting Wichita’s dining scene through the years, he said.
“It gets people excited about food and celebrating food,” Moretti said. It brings people together, and it’s a great organization.”
Bower said he remembers suspecting back in 1992 that Wichita was full of wine and food enthusiasts like himself. But even he is surprised by how many the group has been able to find during the past two decades.
“In 1992, there was wine enthusiasm, but there were more people wanting to learn more and do more,” Bower said. “Today, Wichita has a more sophisticated community of wine consumers than ever before and more than anyone could have imagined having.”


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Creative Co-Op Expands Las Vegas Showroom
November 2, 2011,
LAS VEGAS-Creative Co-Op will relocate and expand to a new and larger showroom in Building C, Suite C-712 at the World Market Center, in time for Winter 2012 Gift+Home at Las Vegas Market.
The Memphis, Tenn. based manufacturer and importer of decorative accessories and gifts will expand its showroom to nearly 9,000 square feet, a 65 percent growth over their previous space,
"We are extremely excited to be both relocating and expanding our presence at World Market Center Las Vegas," said Lee Wang, Creative Co-Op's executive vice president. "Over the last few years, despite a challenging environment, we have experienced steady and significant sales increases with a loyal West Coast customer base that continues to make Las Vegas its primary market destination."
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Cautious Optimism, Mixed Results
Many expected 2016 would be a banner year, but the political and economic climate softened consumer confidence. It was also a year consumers spent more lavishly on home remodeling rather than decorating.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- TJX Unveils First U.S. Homesense Store - In a time when retailers are reducing store counts, TJX continues to get physical.
- Ikea’s Fluid Spaces - The retailer’s new intros reflect multifunctional rooms.
- N.Y. Home Fashions Market Preview - Textile textures get soft and cozy, colors warmer.


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Reliance Industries is going to further expand its retail business as well as increase its business in the online market. Reliance on Tuesday through its subsidiary Reliance Retail, Chennai-based Vitalic Health Pvt. Ltd and its subsidiary have bought a large stake in online pharmacy company Netmeds. According to the information, the company has bought this stake for about Rs 620 crore.
Reliance Retail acquires Vitalic Health Pvt. Ltd, with a 60 per cent holding in the equity share capital, as well as 100 per cent direct equity honorships of its subsidiaries Tresara, Netmeds and Dadha Pharma.
RRVL Director Isha Ambani said that this investment is linked to our commitment to provide digital access for all in India.
He said that Netmeds will help us in expanding our affordable healthcare products and services to a great extent. Apart from this, its digital platform will be used well to meet the daily needs of consumers at the earliest.
He said that Netmeds has expanded its online business within the country in a very short time and we are very impressed by it. He said that our investment and partnership will increase its business more rapidly.
Explain that Chennai-based Vitalic Health Pvt. Ltd and its subsidiaries started their business in 2015. Included among these subsidiaries is the online pharmacy company Netmeds which connects customers with pharmacists through online. Apart from all this, it also provides door step delivery of medicines to customers.
Netmeds founder and CEO Pradeep Dadha said that with the combined strength of Reliance’s digital, retail and tech platforms, we will be able to strengthen our channel among even more consumers. He said that after this agreement we will improve our service further.


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By helping products gain traction quickly, network effects can help companies build formidable business moats — or strong competitive advantages that set them apart.
Amazon posted $96B in revenue in Q3’20, a 37% increase over the same period last year. Google also saw a jump in revenue — 14% over Q3’19 — as it maintains its hold on over 85% of the search engine market. Meanwhile, Facebook has grown from 100M monthly active users in 2008 to over 2.7B in 2020.
What sets these companies apart?
Their business moats — or key competitive advantages.
Amazon, Google, and Facebook have used the power of network effects in particular to gain wide utility fast.
Below, we take a look at what network effects are and some of the companies that have built moats with them successfully.
For more on business moats, check out CB Insights’ report: 19 Business Moats That Helped Shape The World’s Most Massive Companies.If you aren’t already a client, sign up for a free trial to learn more about our platform.


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There's no better way to kill the buzz about your competitors' products than getting yours out the gate a few days before them. Case in point: Nintendo, which has decided to stream a pre-E3 "Nintendo Direct" video on its Facebook page today to give eager gamers new information about its upcoming Wii U console.
The video presentation starts up at 3 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET), and it can be accessed directly via Nintendo's Facebook page.
So, what might Nintendo chat about? Early rumors suggest that Nintendo might be using this time to get a name change for the Wii U out to the press and public in advance of E3 proper giving it a bit of time to settle before Nintendo's big Tuesday keynote address. Critics took to the airwaves to complain about the Wii U's name when the device first premiered at last year's E3, and it doesn't appear that they've gone away.
That said, there's been plenty of rumormongering that the Wii U's name isn't likely to go away, either. Reports from "Nintendo insiders" last month suggest that the "Wii U" is here to stay tying Nintendo's upgraded console to the success of its predecessor and giving Nintendo just one more feather in its cap for coming up with a cheeky name that has a fun connotation. Get it? The "we" and "you?" Anyway.
If the latest pictures of a supposed controller redesign for the Wii U are to be believed, then the Wii U logo firmly planted on the tablet controller's lower-left side is a pretty compelling case for Nintendo sticking to its guns. The same holds true for the slightly redesigned Wii U logo that the company's been touting. Shoot, the Wii U even has a Facebook page.
Speaking of that controller, it's certainly possible that Nintendo might be using its pre-E3 time to build general excitement about the Wii U and show off its slightly revamped controller design. Again, that's nothing particularly groundbreaking, but maybe that's the entire point of Nintendo's digital announcement. With analysts already predicting disappointment for the Wii U well in advance of the console's launch this year, Nintendo needs to pull out all the tricks in its hat to build up some positive buzz at one of the more eyeball-catching gaming trade shows.
To that extent, showing off some fancy games and playing styles that marry Nintendo's prolific franchises and characters with the Wii U's technological abilities could give Nintendo some positive feedback to carry through to its keynote and beyond. At this point, every little bit helps especially with Nintendo's shares trading at the lowest they've been since late 2003.
For more, see PCMag's hands on with the Wii U and the slideshow above.
Update: Nintendo this afternoon unveiled a revamped Wii U controller, dubbed the Wii U Game Pad (click below). One of the changes include replacing the circle pad thumb control with sticks that provide 360-degree control. The grips on the back have also been re-designed, and there's an NFC reader/writer on the bottom left. PCMag will be at E3 this week, so stay tuned for all the details.


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This article was published on 1 July 2015
Callaghan Innovation and other government agencies have received a number of complaints from the public about the New Zealand Small Business Assistance Centre (nzfundinggrants.org).
The Commerce Commission has issued a media release warning about this website, which Callaghan Innovation and other government agencies echo.
The Centre describes itself as “a private research and publishing organisation” and provides “a searchable online directory of government grants and loans offered by the New Zealand government” for a fee.
The Centre is not affiliated with Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment or any other government agency.
All of the information about the government’s financial support for businesses is available for free online or by calling the relevant government organisation, such as Callaghan Innovation or New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, or our Regional Business Partners.
To get an overview of the government’s support for small-to-medium sized businesses, the best place to go is business.govt.nz.


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It arrived as the ski area’s Board met to take a look at the year ahead. The annual meeting generally welcomes new members and sends off retiring members. But it also reviews the previous year at the ski area and the months moving forward.
After a record year last year, with over 100,000 ski visits compared to a 70,000 average, it seems this season is set to follow. Season pass sales are up, with the spring sale exceeding exceptions and the fall sale, which ends at the end of this month, set to follow.
The ski area is also not limiting day passes this year.
“We did that last year to limit crowding on the slopes. But this year with outdoors, it’s hopefully going to be different. We have no intention of having a mask mandate,” explained Mt. Ashland Ski Area general manager Hiram Towle. He also says the lodge will be open this year- another change from last year’s covid restrictions.
© 2023 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.


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USMEF addresses global exports
The challenge of meeting a growing global appetite for red meat in an environment that is increasingly aware of and sensitive to sustainability issues was addressed by Joel Haggard, senior vice president, Asia-Pacific, for the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), last week at the World Meat Congress 2010 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“Asia, in particular, has a growing appetite for red meat and this region is an area of future growth for the U.S. pork and beef sectors— as well as our competitors,” said Haggard.
“Production resources in the United States, such as grain acreage, are in limited supply,” he noted. “With sustainability awareness and accounting increasing, production costs might increase.
However, the track record of the U.S. beef and pork industries in terms of increasing production efficiencies has been positive, and U.S. livestock producers have faith in the ability of technology to continue to yield gains in production efficiencies.”
Haggard cited the success of the U.S. corn industry over a 20-year span from 1987 through 2007 when it reduced the amount of land needed to produce one bushel of corn by 37 percent, cut water use by 27 percent, reduced soil loss by 69 percent, and slashed emissions and energy use by 30 and 37 percent, respectively.
In key markets, such as China, a shift in meat selfsufficiency can have a huge impact on global meat markets, and Haggard believes sustainability considerations could be a factor in those decisions.
“A drop in China’s pork self-sufficiency to 90 percent would equate to roughly 5 million metric tons (11 billion pounds) in imports— close to the total of all global pork trade volumes currently,” Haggard said. “China faces agricultural sustainability challenges from a number of standpoints. If China were to factor in the cost of sustainability and assess whether for the economy as a whole it may be beneficial to import more meat rather than use scarce domestic resources to produce it, the implications are significant. If every livestockproducing country included its sustainability costs fully into its livestock production equation, global meat prices might look different from those of today.” — WLJ


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Malls, multiplexes to sell tender coconuts soon in Karnataka
- While replying to a question municipal administration minister Eshwar Khandre stated that malls and multiplexes may soon be selling tender coconuts.
- He also said that there is no provision for banning sales of aerated drinks in the state.
Soon, mall and multiplexes in Karnataka will be selling tender coconuts as told by municipal administration minister Eshwar Khandre while replying to a question by BJP’s M K Pranesh at the legislative council.
The purpose of this move is for helping the coconut growers who are suffering due to the drought situation, Khandre added. The government will soon issue a circular to the multiplexes and malls to facilitate the sale of the tender coconuts.
The BJP’s MLC by citing Tamil Nadu’s ban on the sale of Pepsi and Coca-Cola demanded a similar ban on Karnataka. To this Khandre replied that there is no provision to ban the sale of the aerated drinks.
According to a Times of India report, the Karnataka Home Minister, G Parameshwara, stated that the CM Siddaramaiah will be taking a decision of the selling of tender coconuts in around 1500 multiplexes in Karnataka.


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Influencer marketing has a fraud problem. Brands have run campaigns with fake influencers and on real ones who use bots to boost their followings. Influencer agencies themselves have also inflated their own influencers’ accounts.
The J.M. Smucker Co., parent of brands like Smucker’s, Jif, Pillsbury, Dunkin’ Donuts and Folgers, is trying to limit fraud, using influencer marketing and technology company Ahalogy to develop influencer content and reach real audiences.
Ahalogy wouldn’t say how much fraud the company found among influencers it’s used in the past but said that today, the amount of fraudulent traffic to its paid influencer posts has decreased by 98 percent and that The J.M. Smucker Co. posts accrue less than 1 percent of fraudulent views.
Josh Williams, senior manager of shopper marketing at The J.M. Smucker Co., said the company started paying attention to digital fraud in 2015, when the most prevalent form was bots clicking on banner ads. In the past year, the company has shifted its focus to the problem of fake followers among influencers, which the company has been using more to connect with customers.
To see which influencers have authentic followers, Ahalogy uses tracking technology from verification firm Moat to audit influencers’ accounts before, during and after campaigns. An influencer’s account can still be inflated due to bots or bought followers. For this reason, Ahalogy only guarantees impressions and site visits from paid media posts, like promoted Facebook and Instagram posts that are verified by third-party services. Ahalogy still asks its influencers to share The J.M. Smucker Co. content with their social followers, but any click-throughs to unpaid content are automatically considered bonus impressions.
In July, for instance, The J.M. Smucker Co. worked with Ahalogy on an influencer-driven campaign with The Dannon Co., choosing a blogger named Allie and her Baking a Moment blog for a sponsored post after making sure her site was clear of bots and fake followers. The post, a recipe for triple berry honey yogurt breakfast cheesecakes, received 9,187 pageviews, with only 0.72 percent coming from bot-driven views, according to Ahalogy. Similar sponsored blog posts for The J.M. Smucker Co. have gotten nearly 50 percent fraudulent views, said Ahalogy.
“We want to make sure our content is actually being viewed by people who are utilizing our products and not by a fake bot poisoning our campaign,” Williams said.
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Chipmaker Qualcomm is asking courts in China to ban sales of Apple’s latest iPhone
On Monday, a Chinese court had ordered a sales ban of some older Apple iPhone models for violating two patents of Qualcomm, though intellectual
“Weplan to use the same patents to file suit against the three new iPhonemodels,” Jiang Hongyi, a lawyer at Lexfield Law Offices who isrepresenting Qualcomm in its patent suits, told the FT, which first reportedthe news on Thursday.
The case, brought by Qualcomm, is part of a global patent dispute between the two US companies that includes dozens of lawsuits.
Apple said on Monday that all of its phone models remained on sale in mainland China and that it had filed a request for reconsideration with the court, the
Apple had also said its three models released in September were not part of the case. China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan accounted for about a fifth of Apple’s $265.6 billion (roughly Rs. 19 lakh crores) in sales in its most recent fiscal year.
Qualcomm, the biggest supplier of chips for mobile phones, filed its case in China in late 2017, arguing that Apple infringed patents on features related to resizing photographs and managing apps on a touch-screen.
Apple responded by saying that “Qualcomm’s effort to ban our products is
Qualcomm officials said tensions between the two nations had no bearing on the ruling. The company has had its share of troubles in China, from an unfavorable 2014 antitrust ruling to regulatory limbo that doomed its $44 billion bid for Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors.


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Update: FDA Cites Teething Tablet Manufacturer for GMP Violations
June 27, 2017 – An FDA warning letter sent Tuesday to Raritan Pharmaceuticals — the New Jersey CMO that manufactured Hyland’s Teething Tablets — cited the company for numerous violations ranging from misbranding to inadequate quality testing and procedures. The agency slammed Raritan for failing to test the quality of its ingredients and not having manufacturing processes in place that would ensure consistent ingredient levels.
What’s the problem?
October 13, 2016 – FDA advised parents and caregivers to stop using teething tablets, which are mainly distributed by CVS and Hylands, and to take their child to a doctor immediately if he or she has a problem.
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers that homeopathic teething tablets and gels may pose a risk to infants and children,” the agency said. “The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and dispose of any in their possession.”
FDA recommends seeking immediate medical care if children exhibit any of the following symptoms after using teething tablets:
- Difficulty breathing
- Excessive sleepiness
- Muscle weakness
- Skin flushing
- Difficulty urinating
Hyland’s Teething Tablets Recall
In October 2010, FDA warned consumers to stop using and discard Hyland’s Teething Tablets after the agency received multiple adverse event reports associated with a potentially toxic ingredient called belladonna in the product. Hyland’s responded by recalling its teething tablets and reformulating them to reduce the amount of belladonna. FDA’s most recent warning has not led to another recall of the products.
Benzocaine in Teething Remedies Linked to methemoglobinemia: FDA
In April 2011, FDA warned about the risks of using benzocaine teething remedies on very young children. According to the agency, studies have linked benzocaine to an increased risk for methemoglobinemia, a potentially life-threatening blood disorder that causes symptoms including cyanosis (blue tint to the skin, lips and nail beds), headache, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, fatigue and rapid heart rate.
Benzocaine products used to treat teething pain in children are sold under the following brand names:
- Baby Orajel
- numerous store brands
Natural Teething Remedies
“Teething can be managed without prescription or over-the-counter remedies,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “We recommend parents and caregivers not give homeopathic teething tablets and gels to children and seek advice from their health care professional for safe alternatives.”
Natural alternatives that can help soothe teething babies include:
- Frozen things (washcloths, carrots, celery)
- Mesh teething feeder
- Amber necklace
- Facial / gum massage
Hyland’s Teething Tablets Recalled in Australia
May 2, 2017 – Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has issued a recall for Hyland’s Baby Teething Tablets and Hyland’s Baby Nighttime Teething Tablets over concerns that inconsistent belladonna alkaloids may harm children. The recall does not include Hyland’s baby teething gel; however, all Hyland’s baby teething products, including the gel, will no longer be sold in Australia.
Hyland’s Teething Tablets Recalled Over Inconsistent Belladonna
April 14, 2017 – Standard Homeopathic Company is recalling all lots of Hyland’s Baby Teething Tablets and Hyland’s Baby Nighttime Teething Tablets over inconsistent amounts of belladonna. The company stopped manufacturing and distributing the medicines last October. This recall ensures the removal of any possible remaining products that may be on store shelves.
FDA Confirms Elevated Belladonna Levels in Teething Tablets
January 27, 2017 – An FDA investigation has revealed inconsistent amounts of belladonna — sometimes far exceeding the amount printed on the labeling — in homeopathic teething tablets. The agency is warning that teething tablets pose an unnecessary risk to children and infants, and recommends that consumers avoid the products.
Teething Tablets Class Action Filed in New York
January 4, 2017 – A teething tablets lawsuit has been filed in New York on behalf of consumers who purchased homeopathic remedies that were the subject of a Sept. 2016 warning by the FDA. While the agency’s warning resulted in the withdrawal of affected products from store shelves, the suit alleges that consumers were never offered refunds for their purchases. Defendants named in the case include: Hyland’s Inc., Church & Dwight Co. Inc., Standard Homeopathic Co., CVS Health Corp. and Target Corp.
CVS Teething Tablets, Children’s Ear Medicine Recalled for Inconsistent Belladonna
November 28, 2016 – Raritan Pharmaceuticals has issued a voluntary recall for homeopathic products containing belladonna, “a substance that can cause harm at larger doses.” Products affected by the recall include:
- CVS Homeopathic Infants’ Teething Tablet 135 tablets, UPC: 050428424162, Lots: 41116 and 43436
- Kids Relief Homeopathic Ear Relief Oral Liquid 0.85 fl. oz., UPC: 778159090639, Lot: 35254
- CVS Homeopathic Kids’ Ear Relief Liquid 0.85 fl. oz., UPC: 050428441633, Lot: 33149
Do I Have a Teething Tablets Lawsuit?
The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in teething tablets lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury and death cases in all 50 states.
Free Case Evaluation: Again, if your child was injured by teething tablets, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a lawsuit and we can help.


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Sri Lanka’s inflation increases to 66.7% in July
Sri Lanka’s nationwide inflation, as measured by the year-on-year (YoY) change in the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI), increased to 66.7 percent in July 2022, from 58.9 percent in June 2022.
This increase in YoY inflation was mainly driven by the monthly increases of both the food and non-food categories.
Food inflation increased to 82.5 percent in July 2022, from 75.8 percent in June, while non-food inflation rose to 52.4 percent, from 43.6 percent in June 2022.
The monthly change of the NCPI recorded at 5.57 percent, due to the price increases observed in the items of both the food and non-food categories, which were 2.42 percent and 3.15 percent, respectively.
Within the food category, the increases were observed in the prices of milk powder, rice, fresh fish, biscuits and chicken. However, the prices of vegetables, coconut oil and coconut decreased during the month.
Within the non-food category, the increases were observed in the prices of the transport (bus fare, petrol and diesel), furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance (washing soap) and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (materials for maintenance) sub-categories during the month.
Meanwhile, the annual average inflation rose to 25.9 percent in July, from 20.8 percent in June 2022.
The core inflation, which reflects the underlying inflation in the economy, increased to 57.3 percent in July 2022, from 49.3 percent, while the annual average core inflation increased to 21.3 percent in July 2022, from 16.8 percent.
- Food insecurity improved in Sri Lanka but prevails within specific regions – FAO and WFP May 29, 2023
- ADB approves $350 Million for Sri Lanka economic stabilization programme May 29, 2023
- Ven. Rajangane Saddharathana Thera arrested May 29, 2023
- Nathasha Edirisooriya remanded till June 7 May 28, 2023
- Fuel quota to be increased from Tuesday May 28, 2023
- India did more for Sri Lanka than IMF – Jaishankar May 28, 2023
- Sri Lanka to Issue digital birth certificates May 28, 2023


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Fact check: Trump falsely claims US didn't have supply chain issues during his presidency
Republicans themselves have cited supply chain problems under Trump as a contributing factor to U.S. COVID-19 deaths.
In an appearance Thursday on Fox News, former President Donald Trump claimed falsely that supply chain problems were not a concern during his time in office — despite the fact that his own party routinely cited such issues throughout the final months of his tenure.
“Nobody ever mentioned those words ‘supply chain,’ they were never brought up, we had perfect supply chains,” Trump said, in a phone interview with “Fox & Friends.”
The pipeline for personal protective equipment (PPE) was hit particularly hard: hospitals and other medical responders reported a lack of masks and other supplies in their battle against the virus.
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton (AR) noted in a February report that actions undertaken by Chinese officials in response to the virus had disrupted the flow of supplies to the United States. “This move imperiled America’s ability to procure personal protective equipment at the outset of the pandemic, likely costing American lives,” the report stated.
Trump also claimed Thursday that “one of the causes” of the supply chain problem was vaccine mandates, like the one implemented by Biden himself.
“A lot of people aren’t working because of forced mandates,” he said.
Biden did not announce mandates until September, while supply chain issues stretch back to the pre-Trump years.
Experts have established that there is no link between vaccine mandates and the supply chain.
“The available supply of both truck drivers and warehouse and dock workers was already considered ‘short’ long before COVID wreaked havoc on our supply chains,” David Correll, co-director of MIT’s FreightLab told USA Today.
“I have seen nothing to suggest that vaccine mandates are to blame for supply chain backups,” he said.
Target, Walmart, and Home Depot, as well as others, have all reported recently that they are fully stocked with inventory for the holiday shopping season. Major retailers also announced increased sales and foot traffic on Black Friday.
Trump coupled his false comments on Thursday with racist rhetoric regarding COVID-19. “We then had the China virus, we fixed it, we did a great job with it,” he said.
The remarks were a repeat of Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric throughout the pandemic, which have been cited in part for inspiring thousands of racist attacks on Asians and Asian Americans in the United States.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
Biden’s infrastructure law is boosting Nevada’s economy. Sam Brown opposed it.
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Supermarket delivery scheme for vulnerable 'not coming to Northern Ireland'
A SUPERMARKET home delivery scheme is `not coming to Northern Ireland' - despite large chains being willing to provide special slots for the elderly and vulnerable.
Bosses are understood to have been in negotiations with the Stormont executive to set aside `bespoke' online delivery slots for at risk groups during the coronavirus pandemic.
Older people and those with underlying health conditions in Northern Ireland who have been told to go into self-isolation are struggling to book online delivery slots - despite the mega-chains scaling up their capacity.
In England, Tesco has identified 75,000 existing customers who will now have home delivery slots created for them after the British government gave the retail giant an initial list of 110,000 clinically vulnerable and isolated people.
However, no such provision is in place in Northern Ireland, despite supermarkets indicating they are willing but need to wait for the executive to co-ordinate the scheme.
Instead vulnerable people desperate for grocery supplies are depending on the kindness of neighbours, friends and family.
Last night, the Department for Communities told The Irish News the England scheme will not be introduced.
"The online system being used in England can’t be used here, as we have different health service database arrangements here," a spokeswoman said.
"We will continue to work in partnership with the big retailers to develop localised arrangements as soon as possible.
"Our aim is to ensure that the most vulnerable customers can access services.
"Alongside this, the local business community and local voluntary groups have stepped up and are offering home deliveries."
Alliance assembly member John Blair urged them to find a solution as soon as possible.
He has been contacted by people self-isolating for several months during the Covid-19 pandemic due to underlying health conditions who find online delivery slots are "taken for some time".
"In England, the government worked with supermarkets to give priority access for online food deliveries for those deemed as vulnerable.
"We need to see a similar scheme for Northern Ireland.
"It would make the lives of those vulnerable people considerably easier, especially if they do not qualify for the executive's food package scheme.
"This is a trying time for everyone but it is important we pull together and do what we can to help those we can. Priority being given to vulnerable people for online shopping deliveries would be a big step in that direction."


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Game Developer Starbreeze Reveals Payday 3's Journey and Four DLC Packs
Starbreeze Studios, the creators of Payday 3, have revealed their plans for post-launch content even though the game hasn't been released yet. They have confirmed the return of Joy, along with the addition of Pearl, who will be playable characters available on launch day. The team is moving closer to the 21st September launch and have shared the Year One roadmap for the heist game.
This includes four downloadable content (DLC) instalments, seasonal events, new playable characters, a new adversary, weapons, an Unreal Engine 5 upgrade, and numerous other features and improvements. The DLC titles, which may change, are presently Syntax Error, Boys in Blue, The Land of the Free, and Fear and Greed. The first, Syntax Error, is set for release a few weeks after launch in winter 2023, and the others are scheduled for release throughout 2024. The details about which DLCs will be free or chargeable have not been specified yet.


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Keek App Adds Twitter-Style Verification Program To Mobile Social Video Network
Keek, a mobile social video network that lets users post 36-second "keeks" — Keek-speak for short video clips — is getting more popular. With the likes of Kim Kardashian using the service, the company has introduced an account verification program similar to Twitter's.
Millions of users have signed up for the service, including celebrities and other influencers. The verified icon will help establish trust and make it easier for users to find people and content on Keek, the Canada-based company said in a statement.
"Keek is a fun new way to interact with my fans and I really can't believe how fast it's grown," said Kim Kardashian, one of Keek's biggest champions to date. "Account verification is extremely important. I want to make sure my fans know it's really me they are following. After accumulating nearly 1 million followers in only a few months, my Keek profile is quickly becoming as important and powerful as my accounts on Twitter and Facebook."
Keek reports it has been adding more than 200,000 new users per day and is consistently ranking as one of the top social networking apps for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.
"Once a social network reaches a certain level of popularity, account impersonation can affect usability," said Isaac Raichyk, founder and CEO of Keek.
Individuals or businesses qualify for account Keek's verification program if they are at high risk of impersonation. They may be popular personalities from television, music and the entertainment industry, although users with large audiences on Keek or other social networks may also be eligible.
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Indian government to probe rules for safeguard against South Korean imports
The Dollar Business Bureau
The Indian government is planning to bring out a set of procedures to begin investigating the imposition of safeguard duty against imports from South Korea. India and South Korea have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on January 2010 and a subsequent review in the agreement in 2016, brought forth the reduction/elimination of duties on various products.
The move by the government comes in the wake of a surge of gold imports from South Korea which is worrying the domestic producers. The Indian Revenue department has notified the India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Bilateral Safeguard Measures) Rules, 2017, for laying out the procedures for such safeguard investigations. This is necessary as India needs to have separate rules for probing against FTA countries.
There has been an unusual surge of imports from South Korea and the government is considering measures to curb them.
Due to the FTA between the two countries, imports of gold have seen a major high touching $338.6 million between July and August months alone. The Director General of Safeguards is now looking to investigate upon receiving complaints by a domestic producer. According to a notification given by the Director General of Safeguards, the probe is “to determine the existence of serious injury or threat of serious injury to the domestic industry, caused by the increased imports of an originating good as a result of the reduction or elimination of Customs duty under the trade agreement.” The final findings of the probe will be submitted within 8 – 12 months from the date of investigation.
As reported earlier gold imports from South Korea do not attract customs duty and the 12.5% countervailing duty was subsumed in the GST. Imports now attract only 3% IGST.
Post GST, the Customs department has collected Rs 30,000 crore in the month of July alone from collections from Customs duty and IGST with imports of gold taking up a significant share.


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64 per cent of mobile broadband users are unsatisfied with the speed of their connection, according to a report by consumer site Broadband Genie.
When asked if users thought their mobile broadband was fast enough, 63.8 per cent of the 1,160 respondents said no. A further 24.7 per cent said they weren’t sure if the service they received matched what is advertised.
Only 11.5 per cent of those questioned said that they were happy.
The site put the large percentage of unsatisfied users down to misconceptions of what the technology is capable of. "The public perception of mobile broadband is often of a service that is comparable in speed and stability to fixed-line broadband, which simply isn’t the case – and won’t be for the foreseeable future."


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Walmart will hire approximately 380 total associates to work at the new Walmart in Battle Ground and the new Walmart Neighborhood Market in Vancouver, according to a Feb. 12 news release from Walmart officials. Both stores are slated to open this spring. Temporary hiring centers have opened to help facilitate applications.
Applications for the Battle Ground Walmart will be accepted Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sat., 8 a.m.-4 p.m., at 1808 SW 9th Ave., Suite 101. The Battle Ground Walmart Supercenter is hiring for approximately 300 jobs.
Applications for the Vancouver Walmart Neighborhood Market will be accepted Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-5 p.m., at 5201 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver. The Vancouver Walmart Neighborhood Market is hiring for about 80 jobs.
Interested applicants can also apply online at http://careers.walmart.com.
Through Walmart’s Veterans Welcome Home Commitment, the company will offer a job to any qualified veteran who has been honorably discharged within the past 12 months. Interested veterans may find out more at http://walmartcareerswithamission.com.
According to the news release, Walmart provides a benefits program to eligible full- and part-time associates. For example, it provides a variety of affordable health and well-being benefits, including healthcare coverage with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also offers eligible associates matching 401(k) contributions of up to 6 percent of pay, discounts on general merchandise, an Associate Stock Purchase Program and company-paid life insurance. Additionally, eligible associates receive a quarterly incentive based on store performance.
“I’m excited to bring together a local team to get this store up and running so we can serve our community,” said Katie Zadak, Battle Ground Walmart store manager. “I’m eager to meet motivated, customer service-oriented individuals who are looking for a job or even a career with Walmart.”
The majority of new associates will begin work in April for the Battle Ground store and in March for the Vancouver store to help prepare the stores for their grand openings, according to the news release.
At this point, Walmart officials said they do not have an exact grand opening date for the Battle Ground Walmart, but they do know it will be in late spring of this year.
Walmart officials announced their plans to build a Walmart Supercenter in Battle Ground in October 2012. The store is currently being built at the intersection of Southwest Scotton Way and State Highway 503 as a part of the future Mill Creek Town Center.
According to the Oct. 11, 2012, news release from Walmart officials, the approximately 150,000-square-foot Battle Ground Walmart store will include everyday household items with the added convenience of a full-service grocery department that will include fresh fruits and vegetables, a drive-through pharmacy and vision center, as well as new products and merchandise such as apparel, home goods, health and beauty aids and electronics, and an outdoor garden center.
Officials from Clark County Public Health have also confirmed they have received plans from Subway for a Subway restaurant to be built inside the Battle Ground Walmart. Currently, no other restaurants or fast food chains have submitted anything to the City of Battle Ground or to Clark County Public Health to build any other facilities in the area around the new Walmart.
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SINGAPORE - Singapore's inflation is on a zig-zag path, creeping back to 2 per cent in October due to higher food and car prices, even though rebates for households contained the price increase. But economists believe the upward trajectory of prices will continue into 2014, as higher wages are passed on to consumers.
The bounce back in October inflation data - up from September's surprise easing to 1.6 per cent - was partly due to a pick-up in certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums, which the government expects to remain volatile in the short term as the market adjusts to the pending re-categorisation of COEs.
Economists polled by Bloomberg had been expecting a marginally higher 2.1 per cent rise in CPI in October from a year ago.
In their joint statement yesterday, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said private road transport costs rose by 2.7 per cent after declining by 2 per cent in the previous month. In September, a correction in car prices occurred due to high base effects.
But beyond car prices, October's CPI increase was also a result of food inflation, which stood at 2.5 per cent last month compared to 2.4 per cent in September.
While part of this was due to slightly steeper price increases in non-cooked food, more expensive prepared meals at restaurants and hawker centres also nudged food inflation higher.
Indeed, MAS core inflation inched up to 1.8 per cent from 1.7 per cent in September, due to stronger contributions from food and oil-related items.
The MAS core inflation measure excludes private road transport costs and accommodation costs. The rise in the latter mellowed to 1.9 per cent in October from 3.9 per cent the previous month, thanks to this year's final disbursement of Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC) rebates for HDB households.
UOB economist Francis Tan told BT: "There were rebates this time which brought accommodation costs down - otherwise we would've seen a higher (inflation number). There's no rebate in November, so inflation should edge higher going forward."
Indeed, the MAS and MTI yesterday cautioned that headline inflation could "rise further" in November, "as the effect of the October S&CC rebates dissipates and COE premiums increased in October".
"MAS core inflation is expected to be higher in November 2013, partly on account of a low base a year ago," they added.
While headline inflation is projected to come in at 2.5-3 per cent in 2013 and 2-3 per cent in 2014, the government expects core inflation to rise over the next few quarters, and average 1.5-2 per cent in 2013 and 2-3 per cent in 2014.
Said ANZ economist Daniel Wilson: "Rising restaurant prices may be an early sign that this pass-through to core (inflation) is intensifying."
Added Mr Tan: "The risk of inflation pick-up rests on domestic costs such as wages and rentals. Particularly for wages, the impending increase in the qualifying salaries for employment passes (January 2014) and another round of foreign worker levy increase (July 2014) will add on to the wage-bidding war in the currently tight labour market. Labour costs of the service industry will be impacted more as they tend to have higher labour input content."
However, OCBC economist Selena Ling believes that such pass-through effects "have been less than expected", highlighting how services inflation eased to 2.5 per cent in October from 2.7 per cent in the preceding month, led by slower increases in the costs of recreation & entertainment and holiday travel.
"The government keeps warning about core inflation going up, but actually, we haven't really seen that acceleration effect yet," said Ms Ling, who yesterday downgraded her full-year growth forecast of headline CPI from 2.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent.
"CPI inflation for the first 10 months of this year is averaging only 2.4 per cent, and there appears to be little reason to expect a sudden uptick in inflation, especially from the imported inflation front, for the remaining two months of the year," Ms Ling added.
While Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Chua Hak Bin also thinks it likely that this year's CPI will fall below the government's projected range of 2.5-3 per cent - he forecasts inflation to average 2.3 per cent this year - he, like UOB's Mr Tan, believes the pass-through of domestic costs will become stark in 2014.
"It'll be a different story in January ... A lot of wage adjustments are lumpy, and they tend to happen at the start of the year. We'll probably get a feel of how hefty they are, I suspect, only in the January and February inflation numbers. Chinese New Year is also a popular time for price adjustments as well," noted Dr Chua.
Get the full story from The Business Times.


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Coded by Kids is bringing an inclusive lens to the Mentor Connect founders program
The five-year-old program from Ben Franklin Technology Partners and PACT helps entrepreneurs through the startup phase.
Mentorship is widely noted as one way to boost underrepresented entrepreneurs.
So as part of the Department of Commerce’s PHL: Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative, Philly nonprofit Coded by Kids is partnering with two orgs on their longstanding program to get young business talent connected to mentors.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners and the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT) teamed up back in 2016 to pilot a mentorship program called Mentor Connect, which seeks to connect founders and leaders with more seasoned entrepreneurs who coach them through the pitfalls of starting and growing a business. Now, Coded by Kids is joining in, aiming to pair young, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) business talent with industry mentors to help them work through their startup ideas.
The collab is part of Coded by Kids’ OnE Philadelphia initiative, its inclusive talent pipeline project for kids and adults in the city, which received $115,000 from the commerce department in fall 2020 as part of the Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative.
Mentor Connect will pair entrepreneurs with teams of three to five volunteer mentors who have expertise across a range of industries for support with leadership, sales and business development, marketing, operations, and investment and fundraising.
Read the full Technical.ly article HERE


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Xiaomi Mi A2 will be Amazon Exclusive Launching in India on August 8
Xiaomi Mi A2 is all set to launch in India on 8th of August and it will be an Amazon-exclusive smartphone. Amazon India is running a dedicated page for the launch of the most awaited Xiaomi Mi A2 which also confirms the launch date which is schedule to 8th of August. However the price of the new Xiaomi Mi A2 is not known yet it will be announced on 8th of August with the launch.
As above mentioned the Amazon India has posted a dedicated page for the Xiaomi Mi A2. The page comes with key specification, some camera samples and android one branding. The handset is also be available via Xiaomi stores and Mi.com site.
Xiaomi will be launching the 4GB RAM+64GB storage variant as the base variant in Indian market but it is not sure as for now that they will be launching the 6GB Ram + 128GB internal storage variant or not. The India market will also get one more color option – rose gold along with the other three Blue, Black and Gold – announced at the Global Launch event. it is also reported that the variant which will be launched in India will support the Quick Charge 4.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Price in India, Specification and Feature Highlights
As mentioned above the price will be out with the launch in India which is shedual for 8th of August. Talking about the pricing which was announced at the Xiaomi Global Launch event, the Xiaomi Mi A2 price in Spain starts at EUR 249 (approx Rs. 20,000) for the 4GB RAM+32GB of internal storage, EUR 279 (approx Rs. 22,500) for the 4GB of RAM+64GB storage and EUR 349 (approx Rs. 28,100) for the 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage variant. The company has said that the 4GB RAM+ 32GB storage variant will not be launch in India.
Moving towards the Xiaomi Mi A2 specification, it sports a 5.99-inch full HD+ 18:9 aspect ratio display having a resolution of 1080×2160 pixels. it comes with 2.5D curved glass with protection of Gorilla Glass 5. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor with Adreno 512 GPU coupled with 4GB and 6GB of RAM comes in two different storage option 64GB and 128 GB.
In terms of Camera, this handset offers a Dual rear camera setup of a 12MP Sony IMX486 with f/1.75 aperture and 1.25-micron pixels and a 20MP secondary Sony IMX376 sensor with f/1.75 aperture. the rear camera comes with Dual LED flash. On front this handset comes with a 20MP Sony IMX 376 sensor selfie camera with f/1.75 aperture and soft LED flash.
Moving towards the other specs, it is an android one device it means it will come with a promise to give latest android updates. Xiaomi Mi A2 comes with a 3010mAh battery with support of Quick charge 4. In terms of connectivity, it includes 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, IR Blaster, USB Type-C but no 3.5mm audio jack.


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Previously, there are many leaks concerning this Chinese smartphone manufacturer’s Huawei P40 series.
According to a report spotted on Thursday, the five snappers on its back would highlight a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 primary sensor joined by a 12-megapixel periscope telephoto (10x optical zoom), a 20-megapixel ultra-wide, a macro camera, and a 3D ToF unit.
The Huawei P40 Pro is speculated to arrive with a 6.5-inch to 6.7-inch screen measure and will employ rectangular camera modules at the back panel. The leak showed the P40 series in the Blue variant.
As per the report by GSM Arena, prominently, a leaked panel of the smartphone suggests that it will feature a notch-less display. However, it is not clear if the selfie camera will be a pop-up one or a regular one.
As per the previous report, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that Huawei P40 Pro will hold a 10x optical zoom. The analyst also said that the Huawei P40 series price would start between CNY 4,000 to CNY 5,000 (approx Rs. 40,500 to Rs. 50,700).
The head of Huawei’s consumer business, Richard Yu, recently indicated that P40 series smartphones might use its own operating system HarmonyOS instead of Google’s Android. He told the HarmonyOS is now ready for smartphones, but the company is waiting to see whether the situation with the US changes.
In addition, Yu also disclosed that Huawei has been considering selling its Kirin processors to other companies in the industry for segments such as the robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT).
The company recently launched its new Kirin 990 (5G) chipset with an integrated 5G modem at the IFA 2019.
Kirin 990 (5G) is the first full-frequency 5G SoC to support both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) architectures, and TDD or FDD full frequency bands as well, allowing it to accommodate hardware requirements under diverse networks and networking modes.


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Microsoft has been invited to showcase its products in 10 Downing Street on the same day that its $75bn takeover of games-maker Activision faces being blocked by British competition watchdogs.
Sky News has learnt that the technology giant is among the companies due to attend an event organised by UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), the industry body on April 26 – the same day as a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) statutory deadline to deliver its Phase-2 verdict on the Activision deal.
One City source said there was “bemusement” at the confluence of the two events, and said a CMA decision to reject the deal would be “damaging” to Microsoft’s relationship with the government.
They added that Microsoft faced “embarrassment” at being inside Downing Street if the CMA’s ruling went against the company.
Last month, the CMA said it no longer believed there would be a “substantial lessening of competition” in the games console market – where Microsoft has a big presence with its Xbox product – if it bought Activision, which makes the Call of Duty franchise.
This was a reversal of the CMA’s earlier stance, and was reported as a major boost to Microsoft’s hopes of seeing the deal approved.
Industry insiders said, however, they still believed there was still a “meaningful” risk of the CMA blocking the takeover altogether.
Microsoft said in a statement that it “appreciate[d] the CMA’s rigorous and thorough evaluation of the evidence”.
“This deal will provide more players with more choice in how they play Call of Duty and their favourite games.”
One insider said it was possible that the CMA ruling would be announced prior to the day of its statutory deadline.
Downing Street did not respond to a request for comment.


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Aisidi (HK) Limited has signed a three-party agreement with Xiaomi Singapore and Flipkart India Private Limited to sell Chinese Xiaomi smartphones in India.
According to the agreement, the three parties will reportedly work together to promote the sale of Xiaomi smartphones in India as well as the development of other emerging smartphone markets. The contents of this agreement include but are not limited to the sale of Xiaomi smartphones in India, supply chain logistics services, funding platform services, and a sales target of USD200 million for 2014.
Flipkart India is a leading e-commerce company in the local market and it provides over 15 million products of more than 70 categories. Founded in 2007, the company currently has 22 million registered users and over four million average daily visits. With complete technologies, the company ensures the shipment of five million items on a monthly basis, and it also provides various innovative services such as cash-on-delivery and a 30-day return policy.
Xiaomi Singapore is the sales and support center for Xiaomi's overseas expansion. It is mainly responsible for the sale and support of smartphones and consumer electronic products.
Registered in Hong Kong on November 6, 2013, Aisidi Hong Kong is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Shenzhen Aisidi and the company focuses on realizing the international strategic development goals for Aisidi.


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Rainy Day At The Pawn Shop
The guys are inside filming this afternoon, but there’s no line outside! Folks have decided to wait out the rain in their cars. The rain picked up pretty hard this afternoon and folks had to take a break from waiting out front. With the exception of a few dedicated and diehard fans, who huddled just underneath the awning near the front door. Today is a great day to come by the shop and check it out if you never have before. The doors will reopen soon and there is no wait!


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As part of Flipkart’s Big App Shopping Days, Lenovo is making its affordable A6000 LTE-enabled smartphone available without any flash sale model from March 23 to March 25. Users will not be required to register for any flash sale, and can just head over to Flipkart and make the purchase. Because the A6000 will be available without any registration model, Lenovo confirms that the flash sale for next Wednesday has been cancelled. Also Read - iPhone 11, iPhone XR up for grab with massive discount on Flipkart Big Saving Days saleAlso Read - Flipkart Big Saving Days sale begins: Pixel 4a, Realme X7, Samsung Galaxy F62, more on discount
Lenovo has so far managed to sell 180,000 units of its A6000 via its flash sales on Flipkart. This is the first time the smartphone will be made available without any registration process. Until now, all the flash sales have been over in seconds, testifying to the huge demand for the A6000.
To recap, the LTE capable A6000 is priced at Rs 6,999. It features a 5-inch HD (1280 720 pixels) display, 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 quad-core (64-bit), 1GB of RAM, and 8GB internal storage and microSD card support.
Also read on BGR India: Lenovo A6000: Hands-on and first impressions with India s most affordable 4G LTE smartphone
The smartphone also features an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 2,300mAh battery that the company claims is good enough for 13 hours of talktime and up to 11.5 days on standby mode. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, LTE and Wi-Fi. On the software front, the smartphone runs on Android 4.4 KitKat wrapped under Vibe UI 2.0.


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Xpeng led delivery sales
Xpeng announced beautiful delivery results, record high with 16,000 EVs in December 2021 (up 181% year-over-year). surpassing its 15,000-vehicle monthly delivery target twice this year.
A total of 41,751 vehicles were delivered in the fourth quarter of 2021, up 222% from the same period last year. This is the second quarter in a row that XPeng has been the highest delivery volume among these three companies, with sales number 41,751 that are ahead of NIO at 25,034 units and Li Auto at 35,221 units.
P7 account for more than 60% of total Xpeng sales
In terms of individual models, the XPeng P7 remains the top-selling and most expensive model, at a near-record level.
In December, Xpeng P7 delivered 7,459 units, and the cumulative delivery for the year was 60,569 units, accounting for 62% of the total delivery volume.
Xpeng P5 seconds after as large-scale delivery began in October this year, so far 5,030 units were delivered in December, setting a new high.
Xpeng G3 series products delivered 3,511 units, with an annual cumulative delivery of 29,721 , up 148% a year-on-year.
The cumulative deliveries of Xpeng’s smart electric vehicles reached 137,953 .
Xpeng’s models are said to attract the tech-savvy, younger demographics, with affordable price and high utility.
The mid-large SUV G9, which will be on sale in 2022, could become a new breakthrough point for Xpeng Auto. According to market expectations, Xpeng’s strong performance may continue in 2022.
NIO and Li Auto ranked second and third in fierce competition
NIO remains highest in total EV delivery number, though sales are going down
NIO’s cumulative vehicle delivery volume in 2021 ranks second among the China three EV trio, delivering 10,489 vehicles in December (up 49.7% year-on-year and 3.6% month-on-month). In the fourth quarter, a total of 2,034 vehicles were delivered (up 44.3%year-on-year), achieving positive growth for seven consecutive quarters.
NIO delivered 91429 vehicles for the full year (up 109.10% year-on-year), doubling for two consecutive years. NIO tops in total delivery of 167,070 EVs, Xpeng and Li Auto each with that of 137,953 and 124,088.
In terms of individual models, The best-selling model is the ES6 with 4939 units , followed by the ES8 with 2782 units and EC6 with 2768.
NIO’s delivery in December were down about 400 units from November and the deliveries were the lowest among these three companies. NIO also had the lowest year-on-year growth rate.
Chip shortage led to lower EV number of customs clearance for NIO
In response to the December drop, NIO related sources said “a batch of chips was delayed for customs clearance.” In fact, since this year, the supply chain has been under pressure due to chip shortages and the epidemic, and NIO’s monthly sales have fallen out of the top three several times, with October 2021 sales once slipping to 3,667 units, down 27.5% year-on-year and significantly worse than market expectations.
The company’s executives previously saying that the number of batteries supplied by CATL is still the ceiling for deliveries.
However, in the following November, NIO delivered 10,878 vehicles, once again returning to more than 10,000 units and rejoining the top tier of new electric vehicle companies.
Li Auto ranks third in annual deliveries
Data from Li Auto shows that the company delivered 14,087 units of Li ONE in December 2021, (up 130.0% year-over-year), setting another new delivery record, surpassing November’s 602 units.
A slight increase of 4.3% from the previous month, surpassing NIO’s December delivery (10,489 units) and second only to Xpeng (16,000 units).
In the fourth quarter, Li ONE delivered a total of 35,221 vehicles, ahead of NIO at 25,034 and behind of Xpeng at 41,751 units.The fourth quarter up 40.2% from the third quarter of 2021 and up 143.5% from the fourth quarter of 2020.
It is expected that the demand for EV remain strong in 2022, though challenges remain. Among them, reduced subsidies for EVs, increased raw material costs, and chip shortages are on-going obstacles.


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BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Release Date Revealedon February 9, 2018 by Mitch Jay
Arc System Works has announced the BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle release date, and we can expect it on 5th June! Hopefully the European release will have parity with the North American release and, in other good news, the game will be getting an English dub!
Arc System Works made the release date announcement on Twitter, following the announcement that Blake and Yang from RWBY will be available as free DLC.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle has been the focus of some controversy due to it having 20 or so DLC characters, but the promise is that the base game and DLC together will be no more than a normal RRP priced game.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is heading to PS4, Switch and PC.


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Irked by the announcement of hike in industrial gas prices for the fourth time by the Gujarat Gas Company, the South Gujarat Textile Processors Association (SGTPA) has decided to launch an agitation to protest against the latest hike in industrial gas prices.
SGTPA represents about 400 textile processing units of South Gujarat, mainly in and around Surat area, located in the west Indian State of Gujarat. It acts as a common platform for all the processing units of the area for constructive interaction and mutually beneficial policy making.
The recent hike of Rs. 4.60 per cubic metre in the industrial gas price would become effective from January 1, 2012. This would push the gas price to around Rs. 26 per standard cubic metre, inclusive of taxes. The prices prevailed at Rs. 10 per standard cubic metre in December 2010.
SGTPA claimed that an abrupt rise in price of industrial gas would push Surat's textile industry to walls as many of the processing houses would be compelled to cease their operations.
It said the printing charges that vary between Rs. 1.5 to Rs. 40 per metre at present, would go up to Rs. 1.80 to Rs. 55 per metre after the newly raised gas prices are implemented.
It added that countries like Thailand, China and Bangladesh import fabrics from India and the recent hike in gas prices would push the job charges up, thus making the Indian cloth much more expensive than that of other countries.
SGTPA will hold a meeting of its members on December 31 to deliberate on the matter and find a solution to the same.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India


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posted on 1/24/2012 2:31:30 PM
SCM software provider HighJump inks an agreement that ties its TrueCommerce EDI unit to e-commerce technology from Dydacomp, in a tie-up that both companies hope will facilitate better supply chain management.
Ask any supply chain professional whether his or her supply chain management activities would suffer without EDI technology, and you’re likely to hear a resounding yes. Electronic data interchange (EDI) has been a key component of SCM software and supply chain operations for the better part of three decades.
Now, a new partnership between HighJump Software’s TrueCommerce EDI Solutions Group and Dydacomp aims to integrate EDI technology more fully with e-commerce. Manufacturers and online retailers who use Dydacomp’s Multichannel Order Manager software will now have access to TrueCommerce’s EDI platform to facilitate their transactions, the companies announced late last week.
Dydacomp customers who opt for the EDI capabilities will be able to access the Transaction Manager EDI translation software, which converts data from an ERP system into EDI format; data mapping tools that help sync the ERP software with a customer’s software; and the transaction network that sends and receives EDI transactions. They will also receive EDI support and maintenance, the companies said in a statement.
"With this new partnership,” said Fred Lizza, CEO of Dydacomp, “our clients can integrate a…complete EDI system with [multichannel order management].”
The multichannel order management software at the core of Dydacomp’s offering helps facilitate supply chain management through order importing, inventory management, order fulfillment, and automated order processing.